Mistletoe and Mayhem - Cheryl Bolen Page 0,36

said as she scooped up the child and hugged him tightly. “More than you’ll ever know. Forever and ever and ever.”

It was a sweet scene, but it was a private moment he shouldn’t have witnessed. He ought to announce himself before they burst into songs about love and other such nonsense.

Hector stood and cleared his throat.

But he wasn’t quite prepared for the impact of the mother’s beauty when she turned to face him. The woman was stunningly pretty with wavy dark hair and wide blue eyes. Her full red lips parted in surprise; her delicate, ring-less left hand rose to the base of her throat. He feared for a moment that she might scream. But instead, she quickly curtsied and apologized.

The boy bowed, too, quite flawlessly for someone so young.

Hector approached them slowly, drawn in by the pair and the chance for conversation. The lady was a fetching wench indeed, one he felt keen to become acquainted with. Perhaps Hector might just get his Christmas wish for an enjoyable holiday after all.

Hector extended one leg and swept into a deep bow worthy of a court appointment. Women tended to enjoy being treated like queens in their own right. “Forgive the start my presence must have caused you. You must be another of Lord Vyne’s Christmas house guests.”

The woman nodded. “How do you do?”

“Very well, and all the better for seeing you and your son.” Hector glanced around, but there was no one to introduce them. He wouldn’t let that dissuade him from talking to her, though. “I had started to feel I might be the only soul about the house, save for the servants.”

She looked toward the boy for a moment. “My son has an energetic disposition and is still of an age to think it funny to elude me. Forgive us the disturbance.”

“No apologies are necessary.” Hector looked at the child now, feeling he should acknowledge the boy if he wanted to make the best impression with the mother. He extended his hand. “How do you do? Pip, isn’t it?”

The boy nodded.

“You shouldn’t run away from your pretty mama like that. You could be easily lost in a house this size, and she might never find you. Make sure you stay close to her from now on.”

The boy hugged his mama’s skirts. “I won’t be lost.”

The woman hugged her son to her side. “Forgive me, but who are you?”

He didn’t mind that the woman made a bold request to find out his identity. She’d saved him the trouble of dropping his name and title into the conversation. “Lord Stockwick, madam.”

“I see,” she said, then her eyes narrowed. “Stockwick, did you say?”

“Indeed. I see you are familiar with the family name.”

“I was, once, but I’ve been away a long time. I remember an older man—with gray whiskers—held the title then.”

“Ah, you must be thinking of my father, whom I am happy to say I don’t at all resemble. There’s no gray in my whiskers, as you see. Were you very well acquainted with him?”

“Only in passing. I recall a daughter, though I am afraid it has been many years since I’ve thought of her. I cannot remember her name.”

“Margaret. Or perhaps you knew her as Meg.”

“Oh, yes. That’s it. Meg. We spent some time together right here. Well, upstairs in the nursery.”

“Then we are likely already acquainted, too.”

“I don’t recall meeting someone like you,” she began, her frown growing as she peered at him. “Unless…”

“Hector,” he supplied, and then smiled as she appeared to recognize his name.

But her eyes had narrowed upon him. “Oh, it’s you. I don’t suppose you’re here to return the silver bell you stole from me.”

“I…” He gaped, stunned. “Ruby Clement?”

“Ruby Roper. Mrs. Ruby Roper.” She scowled. “So will you at last admit the truth?”

“I…” he began, but then her request sank in. “I admit you accused me of theft of that ridiculous thing when we were children.”

“It was not ridiculous,” she argued, voice rising. “That bell meant a great deal to me.”

Hector punched his hands on his hips. “Well, I didn’t take it.”

“Do you swear?” she asked.

“Every day and every way I can,” he shot back. “I was falsely accused, and you owe me an apology.”

For a moment, Ruby seemed taken aback by his statement, but then her face pinked with a blush, and she looked down. Her child had moved between them, looking up at them with a bewildered expression.

Hector took a pace back, appalled by his heated outburst. He hadn’t seen Ruby in